David Moore read one of the recent speculation pieces we've posted a few days ago and submitted a clarifying response to it. Written by Jeffrey Arnold, it dealt with the "mysterious Covenant AI" Cortana encountered on High Charity - according to David, the AI wasn't a Covenant-made at all, but the legendary Forerunner military AI, Mendicant Bias.

I believe it is safe to postulate that the formidable presence on High Charity is in fact not even a Covenant AI at all.

According to Contact Harvest, an AI, or in Covenant terminology, an Oracle, was found to be on the Prophet's Forerunner Dreadnought. This Oracle, known to us as Mendicant Bias, attempted to lift off from High Charity and locate his creators (the only remnants of which are now Humans). They disconnected him to stop the launch sequence.

Though the following sequence of events may be different in truth, the result is likely the same. Years later, as the Chief is approaching the Dreadnought, Truth has realized that excavation party sent to Earth to find the portal to the Ark was the human homeworld (due to Regrets "severe error"). He figures he doesn't even need to input any sort of coordinates, just reconnect MB and let him pilot the ship to the portal.

Thus the formidable presence. MB was the top class of AI ever created, even by the Forerunners, so he would be quite the match for Cortana. He did NOT want interference as he was readying to leave.

Thus MB makes it to the Ark and speak to the Chief via the terminals.

Also, Legends spoilers: If you noticed at the end of Origins Part 2, the Iris symbol (Also, technically Mendicant Bias' symbol) appears in Cortana's eye. This suggests that MB has hitched a ride with Cortana.

-DHalo

Huh, even a thousand year-old AI can give an almost brand new UNSC AI like Cortana one hell of a headache. No wonder we almost lost the war...